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A West Virginia man who regularly came to Columbus to visit friends was found shot to death in a
car on the Hilltop early yesterday morning.

Justin Griffith, 30, was shot multiple times in the torso, said Franklin County Coroner Jan
Gorniak.

Police said patrol officers were flagged down at 1:05 a.m. and told that someone had been
injured. Police found Griffith in a car in front of 172 Whitethorne Ave. Medics pronounced him dead
at 1:19 a.m.

The shooting might have occurred in an alley between 100 blocks of Midland Avenue and
Whitethorne. The streets run south from W. Broad St..

Police said Griffith was from Sandyville, W.Va., but his father said he had recently moved
to Ravenswood, which is south of Parkersburg.

Vernon Griffith said he didn't know why his son was in Columbus this week but added that he had
friends in Columbus.

Justin Griffith was attending school to become a boilermaker and welder, his father said. He was
also learning to be an auctioneer.

Five years ago, one of Justin Griffith's brothers was killed in a car crash.

"You never know from one day to the next whether you are going to be alive or dead," Vernon
Griffith said.

Police said they had no suspects or motive for the shooting, which was the 85th homicide of
2010. Readers with information are asked to call the homicide squad at 614-645-4730.